A must-do checklist for students coming to the UK for university

From packing essential kitchenware and figuring out where to buy your bedding to signing up for every fresher’s week event, the preparation and excitement for studying abroad can often become overwhelming.

By now, many of you are likely in multiple group chats to get to know your fellow students and purchasing early bird discounts on your tickets to fresher’s week events. But before you fill your schedule to the brim, here’s a checklist of crucial tasks in the recommended order of importance to tackle first to ensure a stress-free arrival to the UK. 

Collect your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP)

Your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) is your legal identification card in the United Kingdom. You may have noticed that the student visa in your passport is only valid for three months. The BRP extends your stay, allowing you to remain in the UK for the duration of your course plus an additional six months. You will need your BRP to open a bank account, register with a doctor, travel internationally and more.

You will be first issued with a vignette sticker for 90 days, in order to travel to the UK. Then you must collect your BRP from your designated Post Office before your sticker expires or within 10 days of arriving in the UK, whichever comes first. So this should be your top priority on arriving in the UK.

Your visa decision letter will include the name of the Post Office where your BRP will be available for collection. To collect your BRP, bring your passport and the visa decision letter that you would have received from UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) to the designated Post Office.

Register for your eVisa

The UK government is transitioning to eVisas from BRPs. This means that all BRP holders will have to update their physical document to an eVisa.

The Home Office has started sending emails to BRP holders, instructing them to create a UKVI account to access their eVisa. You can also proactively access your eVisa after collecting your BRP. 

To set up your eVisa, you’ll need a smartphone, a UK mobile phone number, an email address, and either your BRP card, a valid passport with your BRP number, or your visa application number. Be sure to transition to an eVisa before December 31, 2024.

With the academic year starting in September, hundreds of students flock to collect their BRPs during this time. Be sure to allow extra time and anticipate delays as queues at Post Offices can be long, especially during this busy period.

If you know others from your accommodation or university who are also collecting their BRPs from the same Post Office, consider teaming up for the trip.

Download the Citymapper app

Travelling around your city or town during your first week can be overwhelming. With numerous buses, tubes and trains, it’s easy to get lost in an unfamiliar city. 

Citymapper is a user-friendly app that will help you navigate your way around, showing you which bus numbers, trains or tube lines to take. It also shows you the walking route and how long it will take. Simply enter your start location and destination, and it will provide multiple route options to help you reach your desired location efficiently.

Purchase a SIM Card

Sometimes, the VFS (visa application) Office provides a free Lebara SIM card, which operates on Vodafone’s network. You can choose to continue using this network provider unless you encounter any issues. I’ve used Lebara across the UK; in London, Canterbury, and even as far north as Edinburgh and Inverness and it has worked reliably in all these locations. 

Other popular network providers in the UK include Vodafone, EE, O2, giffgaff and Three. You can visit their official websites to explore and purchase a plan that best suits your needs. Many of these providers also offer student discounts, which are definitely worth considering. 

Open a bank account

While there are many good local banks in the UK, it’s worth choosing one that offers lower international transfer fees, an easy-to-use interface and physical branches conveniently located near your accommodation and university.

As an international student, you will likely need to open a current account in the UK, as student accounts are typically available only to those who have been residents of the UK for at least three years. Popular banks to consider include Lloyds, Barclays, Santander, NatWest, and HSBC.

To open a bank account, you will need to provide your BRP, proof of your UK address, a letter of acceptance from your university, your passport and a registered UK phone number. Keep in mind that specific requirements may vary slightly between banks. You can also opt for online banks such as Monzo, Revolut or Starling. 

Register with a general practitioner doctor

Be sure to register with a general practitioner (GP) as soon as you receive your BRP. This will allow you to access NHS services at no additional cost, as you have already paid for them during your visa application.

You can find your nearest GP using this link: https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/find-a-gp 

In addition to choosing the closest GP, it’s important to do your due diligence by checking reviews and ratings. You can register with a GP practice online through their official website or visit the GP practice in person and fill out a registration form.

Get student travel cards

If you are studying in London, then you may wish to buy a student Oyster card. This allows you to travel across London using tubes, buses, trains, and overground services. While the daily cap for fares is the same whether you’re using a student Oyster card or a contactless bank card in central London zones, students can enjoy a 30 per cent discount on fares within the UK by linking their Oyster card to a railcard.

Students who are studying outside of London do not need an Oyster card. 

The best railcard for students is the 16-25 railcard, which offers you discounts on train travel across the UK. There is also a Young Person’s Coachcard that allows you to purchase discounted tickets on all coach travel across the UK. 

Enrol at university

Most universities send out online registration emails before you depart from your home country. However, you will need to complete your enrolment on campus to receive your student ID card.

Be sure to bring all the required documents listed by your university to finalise your enrolment. For students on a Tier 4 UK Visa, maintaining a certain percentage of attendance is mandatory to pass the course, and your attendance will only be recorded in the system once your enrolment is completed.

Additionally, you will only be able to access your course timetable and other university services after completing your enrolment.

Apply for a National Insurance number

If you’re considering seeking a part-time job then you will need a National Insurance (NI) number, as this is essential for legally working in the UK. It can take up to four weeks to receive your NI number, as it is sent by post to your registered address. Be sure to apply early to avoid delays. 

Download student discount apps

Lastly, kickstart your fresher’s week by downloading apps like UNiDAYS and Student Beans to access student discounts across the UK. These apps feature over 100 brands offering exclusive deals. Simply register online with your university email address. Some retail outlets may ask to see your physical student ID card for verification, so be sure to keep it handy at all times.